Attention Reader

This web page is a continuation of the documentary analysis of Captain James
Stewart's letters ca. 1815-1820,giving a thorough accounting of many of the Stewart families from
southern Perthshire of that era. If you have come here from outside this
website then you are advised to begin with
The Stewarts of the South: INTRODUCTION, which includes an
explanation of the document itself, and this analysis project, as well as an introduction to the
Stewarts of Balquhidder Research Web Site.

Section III: The Stewarts of Gartnafuaran

Their Clan name means "Children of Voil House". The meaning of
Voil is uncertain, but is believed to mean "pebbly beach", thus "Children of the house of the pebbly beach".

I am now about
to proceed to the family of Gartnafuara, the third
family of the Stewarts of the South who claim being
descended of the oldest of the three sons.

The preceding reference is
uncertain, but is believed to refer to the three sons of Sir William Stewart,
2nd of Baldorran and 1st Baillie of Balquhidder. Duncan Stewart's 18th
century genealogy of the Stewarts claimed that Andrew Stewart, 1st of
Gartnafuaran was a son of William, whereas contemporary research has proved
that Andrew was actually the brother of William. See our
Report on the Origin of Andrew Stewart, 1st of Gartnafuaran for
more information on this discrepancy. But it would seem from both
Duncan's genealogy and the above reference that the Gartnafuaran Stewarts
themselves mistakenly believed they were descended as Duncan suggests.
It may also suggest that there was disagreement among the Ardvorlich,
Glenbuckie, and Gartnuafuaran branches as to who was descended from the oldest
son of Sir William, and thus, who was the most senior family.

Although they
are the last, I think they ought to be the second,
at least. In general, they are something like to
the family of Ardvorlich, not altogether valiant as the Glenbuckie family, but more of a Low country
nature. The only distinguished character known
to me of this family was one "Walter-du-mor" ("Big Black Walter") who
[along]
with his two sons was killed at the battle of Kilsyth, [although] some say, however, that they were killed at the
battle of "Bodle brig", which was certainly not the case.

The real representative of that family at present
is a young man (Walter) a clerk in London, grandson to the late Walter Stewart who disposed of
the lands of Gartnafuara. The present representative's father was Alexander, who lived in a decent
respectable manner from a fortune, or small income,
which he had by his wife. He resided
at a place called Torrie, near Callendar.

Walter has also another brother in
[the] West Indies,
named Alexander, who is said to be doing well.

There is also another brother of the real family
and is nearest to the above mentioned; [he is] Walter, a tenant in Glenfinglas -- one of the eight tenants
of the name of Stewart -- and pays a rent of one
hundred guineas. This person is rather a silly indolent man, and, however, has some abilities, but
cannot make any use of them, either for himself or family. [He] is married to a very genteel woman from Aberdeenshire.
[He] has three sons [who are] under age.

Commonly called
"Stuiartich a' Bhaid" (probably means "Stewarts of the
clump/tuft/thicket") in ancient times. The
oldest branch of the family of Gartnafuara was
Ground Officer to the Earl of Moray in the district
of Doune.

There was one Andrew Stewart, [a] tenant
in Cuil-n-togle who left two sons: William
and John.

William is ground officer to the Earl
of Moray in the town of Doune. [He] has one son in
a very respectable, affluent way in the West Indies.

John is a tenant in ?Enapach near Callander
[which is] part of Burrel Drummond's estate. [He] had four sons; only
two are alive:

one, Robert, the oldest, [is] in good
circumstances [and] is a spirit dealer in Glasgow. (The following entry
appears later in the original text but has been moved earlier to this place
here to improve readability.) This spirit dealing business is a mystical one to
me. I much doubt that they are a good deal
indebted to Arnswell in Glasgw with vitrol
and other combustibles, which are unknown to
me. This Rob would, at one time, have been
glad of a kilt full of potatoes or porridge, although he now affects all the splendour at his
table that would serve a Lord's son. He is a
man of some abilities, if he were moderate
in his manner. [He] was sometime a traveller to a house in Glasgow and had all the assurance of a highwayman's horse, and might
pass for Capt Plume or Sergt Kitt in the
"Recruiting Officer". Though I have marked
him out, there is many of his sort in Glasgow
in that line (of spirit dealers?). He is said to be worth £9,000 or
£10,000, and has three sons [who are] under age.

Alexander, who went to the East Indies some
years ago and is in a prosperous way there.

Or what is called "Sliochd Rob
Dhuibh mhoir" ("Children of Big Black Rob"), who was a son of Gartnafuara,
[and a]
tenant of Wester Ardchubry [in] Balquhidder parish in [the] Strathyre district of Auchlessy.

It is suggested that Rob Dubh
Mor, patriarch of this branch is most likely Robert, son of Alexander, 5th of
Gartnafuaran.

Robert Dubh Mor STEWART b: ABT 1605 in Gartnafueran,
Balquhidder, Perthshire, Scotland. In which case we would have a line as
follows:

This Duncan Stewart is possessed
of some unprincipled abilities; he is tacksman
of Brainchoill where there was once a hospitable reception for persons of every description
with every mark of kindly hospitality by the
late worthy family of Glenbuckie and where there is now neither house nor hall.

[The SOS Appendix has
the following reference, brought forward here for reference.]

I mentioned in one of the preceding pages,
concerning one Duncan Stewart, [a] tacksman of
Brainchoil & Letter of the family of Gartnafuaran, which you will notice in the proper
place, that he was a dangerous character which truly happened shortly after. I mentioned likewise in its proper place that Glenfinglas was 800 guineas - 100 guineas to
each of the eight tenants there. This low
fellow that raised himself from the dung hill
by forwardness and villainy, offered 1200 Guineas
for the Glen altogether with 100 guineas in the
Earl of Moray's will. Now bad as he is, the coiff, the Earl would not accept of this, and
only advanced the rent of £60. By this [the Earl] refused fully 400 guineas.
But this present
Earl, is acting by the injunctions of his father
who directed him not to harass these tenants. For he is not in himself really bad,
if Lady
Moray and other bad councillors would not influence him.
This Duncan Stewart, it cannot be denied, is
a clever fellow, were he to make good use of
his abilities. It was not out of mere spite and
malice [that] he did this to his neighbours, who
were tenants [at] the time [that] he was a cottar. His
offers, however, rejected here with disdain
and so might every one of his kind.

David
Stewart, his brother [is] a land-surveyor and factor
in England. [He] has one son, a character, who is proof against all disappointments and adversities.

Robert, his brother, is a steady
[and]
respectable man and a clerk in the bank of England and has no family

James, his
brother, [a] tacksman of Ard-chean-cnocan, has
one son. This man has an opportunity to gain
friends and money, but I am afraid he is too
much addicted to his cups.

This finishes the
account of "Sliochd Rob Dhuibh-mhoir".
Ard-chean-cnocan, belongs to Burrel Drummond and pay of rent 100 guineas. Brainchoill and Letter pay 200 guineas. Duncan Stewart has also another farm in Glen-elg which pays
£500.

The name of this clan
presents a challenge when trying to reconcile it with the narrative that
follows. "Sliochd sheun Rob is Alastair oig"
as written means "Children of Old Rob and Young Alexander". The Gaelic word "is"
is usually a form of the verb "to be", but is also used as a short form for "agus",
which means "and", which would imply that the clan was named after
Old Rob
and Young Alexander, presumably brothers. And the opening notes below do
affirm that this branch descends from two brothers, one of which is Old Rob, but the
other is recorded as James, not Alexander. This is hard to reconcile.
Furthermore it would represent the only example we can find where a clan was named after two brothers. The absence of "Young Alexander" and
the presence of brother James in the narrative below are hard to explain if
"is" is understood as "agus" or "and".

Another explanation is that
"is" may be a transcription error for " 'ic", which is a common abbreviation of "mhic",
which means "son or grandson of" or more generically "descendant of".
Furthermore "Alastair Oig" can be understood two ways: as "Young Alexander",
usually used to differentiate him from another Alexander who was older,
usually the father, but perhaps a close uncle. However the other
common understanding is as "Alexander The Younger", which is the customary
way of referring to the younger sons of the principal land-holding family,
those who are next in succession to inherit the estate should the eldest male
fail. Thus it could be that the name
of this branch is actually "Children of Old Rob, descendant of Alexander
the Younger", which would imply that "Alexander The Younger" would have to
be the younger brother of one of the lairds of Gartnafuaran.

Another possibility,
although less convincing, is that "is" is intended to be its more common
usage as a form of the verb "to be", in which case the clan name could be
understood to be "Children of Old Rob who is Young Alexander", that is,
"Rob-alias-Alexander", but the uses of the nicknames "sean" and "oig" (old
and young) makes this argument less compelling.

If this branch is descended
from Old Rob, descendant of Alexander The Younger, then the most likely candidate
for said Alexander would be the son of Alexander, 5th of Gartnafuaran.
This makes even more sense when it appears that the preceding III Branch is
probably descended from Alexander's brother Robert. However our Fellow
Researchers remain undecided on a preferred interpretation at this point.

The line delineations in this branch are not found in the original
document but have been added for easier readability.

"Sliochd sheun Rob is Alastair oig", two brothers. About three generations
ago they came from Wester Invernenty in Balquhidder, (or this may also be
rendered as "Sliochd
sheun Rob 'ic Alastair oig". Two brothers -- about three generations ago they
came from Wester Invernenty...) formerly the property of the family of Gartnafuare, afterwards that of Glenbuckie & Brainchoil, and now the property of the heirs of the late
Red Duncan Stewart, Minister of Balquhidder.

1 Line

The
descendants of Sean Rob [are] (judging by the chronology of 2 Line, it is
suggested that the following are the great-grandchildren of Sean Rob.)

Robert, [a] tenant
in Duart [in] Glenfinglas, [who is] one of the eight tenants
of the name of Stewart in that place, and [who] pays
rent of one hundred guineas. [He] left four sons:

Thomas emigrated some time ago to North America
and had a large family

Alan in the West
Indies [who is] doing well

John, [who] possesses the farm
which his father had. [He is an] active [and] well-doing young man.
Unmarried.

Robert, a cattle-dealer in
Glenfinglas. Unmarried

Robert
Stewart, formerly [a] tenant of Auchinaird (Auchnahard) [in] Glenfinglas
[and]
again of Coillechat near Doune, [which is] Auchessy's property, and formerly belonged to the ancient family of Musket
(Muschet). [This Robert is a] cousin to the former Robert.
[He] left three sons:

two in the West Indies

"

and the third [is a]
schoolmaster at Bannockburn near Stirling

There was another cousin of his, a Duncan Stewart, who
resided at Balfron, Stirlingshire as a cotton spinner, and
who formerly lived at Baile-choalish [in] Appin [in] Argyleshire. [He]
left two sons:

the one a shoemaker,

the other a tailor,

who
have both families - two sons each under age who now live in Balfron.

James, [the] second
son of Alexander, and brother to Charles. [James was a] tacksman of Crochavie
[in]
Aberfoil parish [in the] Lordship of Mentieth! Duke of Montrose's
property! pays £130 of rent!!! (not sure what's up with all the exclamation
marks, but they are preserved from the original) who left five sons,
[namely]

Alexander, who died last year, one of my most familiar acquaintances on earth, and a very great favourite, a clever
[and] active man and a good scholar

Charles, the present tacksman of Crochavie, a person who might well pass in the
Golden Age! (reference uncertain) If all men were of his disposition there would be no occasion for many of abilities
either in the cabinet or in the field - the lamb might eat with the wolf [and so
on]. I intend to spend the remainder of
my life with him so being that he marries a woman of a similar disposition to
himself.

Duncan, master gardener with Mr Peel Member
of Parlaiment [for] South Wales. He also
superintends the farming and is a very clever active
man. Few may be said to excel him. He is unmarried.

Robert (the subsequent
reference indicates that he lives with his brother Charles)

John, [who is] of a second marriage.
[He and his brother Robert] live with their
brother Charles.

I have been acquainted with their
father and grandfather for the period of thirty five years.

Commonly called the Stewarts of Glenogle
or Cloich-glas, near Lochearnhead or Hyndfield, all in [the]
parish of Balquhidder. Glenogle belongs to Lord Breadalbane, and Cloich-glas
also; Hyndfield is the property of
Capt Stewart [of] Glenbuckie.

The Line numberings for the
following branches do not appear in the original text but have been added for
clarity.

1 Line

The following David Stewart of Craig Ruidh was the senior male
descendant of the Stewarts of Glenogle, Cloich-Glas and Hyndfield. He
married Elizabeth Stewart of Benmore, whose brother purchased Glenbuckie from
Alexander Stewart, 12th of Glenbuckie. Thus, the following descendants
were paternally descended from the Stewarts of Glenogle, although they briefly
became lairds of Glenbuckie. The entire matter is very confusing and is
laid out in fuller detail on the Glenbuckie page.

David Stewart, late of Glenbuckie,
was son of John Stewart of Craig-grui and Easter Monachail
in the Parish of Balquhidder. Craig-grui underwent several changes and belongs at present to a Mr Don McDonald,
a great tacksman from Glenlyon. And Monachail
belongs to the heiress of the late Barron McNab. This
David of Craig-grui married the heiress of Glenbuckie, Capt
Stewart's sister, by whom he had two sons:

John, the late laird of Glenbuckie. John was cruelly dispossessed by his uncle and left two sons:

John and

Alexander

[Both] young
men [are] presently at Callander. The
youngest [of which] I was recommending to yourself [as] they are both talking of
going to the W Indies

Alexander, a spirit dealer
in Edinburgh, has two sons under age

2 Line

The following entry indicates that the following James Stewart of Stank
was the cousin of John Stewart of Criag Ruidh of 1 Line above. Thus
James of Stank and John of Craig Ruidh would have shared a common paternal
grandfather, whose name is presently unknown.

James Stewart, [who was a] tacksman
of Stank and Leaniuch
in Glenbuckie, and [also had] a fourth
part of Glenfinglas, was a cousin of the above David's father (John Stewart of
Craig Ruidh). [James]
left one son:

James, (the) Younger of Stank, which place formerly belonged to Buchanan of Auchlessy, afterwards to
the late laird of McNab, and since sold to a gentleman
in Glasgow. [Stank] is in the Parish of Callendar. James [the] younger
of Stank had five sons, [namely]

James, who died in the West
Indies

Bryce, who died in the East Indies

Walter,
a surgeon, a decent clever man died there also

John,
Minister of Blair in Athol

Robert, in the West Indies in
the way of making a fortune

Alexander, who died at home.

This old James of Stank was once a
traveling merchant, and was the cleverest and most active of his own name or any other in that country and left many good
leases with a good deal of money which were very ill
managed by Ardvorlich and some other tutors. Mr
Stewart of Blair had his part of Glenfinglas since his
settlement in Athol.

3 Line

James Stewart, [a] tacksman of Auchnandave in Strathyre
[in] Balquhidder Parish,
[on] Buchanan of Auchlessy's property, formerly that of
Arnprior. [He] left three sons, [namely]

James STEWART, in Auchnandave in
Strathyre, b: ABT 1730, married to Jean GRAEME (of Callander?). They had
the following children:

Dugal STEWART, a labourer in
Stirling

Walter STEWART, a schoolmaster
in Edinburgh

Caleb STEWART, bap: 8 MAY 1765
in Balquhidder, Perthshire, Scotland. He later resided in Laggan,
Balquhidder, Perthshire, Scotland where he married on 2 MAY 1795 to Janet
FERGUSSON of Balquhidder parish.

4 Line

James Stewart, late tenant of Inverlochlarig-mor in
Balquhidder, formerly [the] property of McGregor of Glencarnaig, now that of the Earl of Moray, left two sons,
[namely]

Alexander, [a] surgeon at Bo-ness in a respectable way,
and who has a large family

David, a respectable
dancing-master in Stirling, who has one son

5 Line

(The next two entries are not shown as brothers, but onomastics and
geography would favour that Duncan and Robert were brothers and both sons of a
father named James. It may be speculated that their father James was the
son of a Duncan, but this would be less certain.)

Or what is called "the Stewarts
of Coille Mhori", [in] Buchanan parish, [in] Stirlingshire [on] Loch-Lomondside,
to whom belonged three farms, now the property of the
Duke of Montrose, [namely] Blair eagen and Claischoil,
both in the parish of Aberfoil, [in the] Lordship of Menteith, and [the] Duke of Montrose's property,
[along] with Coille mhoir and two other farms which they had free.

John Stewart,
late tacksman of Crochavie [in] Aberfoil parish, had four
sons still in life, [namely]

Alexander, a wealthy cotton manufacturer in Glasgow,
[who] has no sons -

Robert, his brother, [who is] a
clerk to
the company Bridge of Johnston, [in] Renfrewshire. [He] has four sons.

James, [a] merchant [in] Cronstad, Russia, who
has four or five sons, two of which are boarded at
Callendar at their education there.

John, a cattle
dealer, who resides with his father, a cottar in Crochavie, and has a farm in
Glenelig for which he pays £150 yearly rent.

Alexander Stewart, late
spirit dealer in Glasgow, left two sons

Henry,
a clerk in Glasgow, [who is] the cleverest that we mentioned yet, if he had the
balance wheel about him.

David in the Army

James Stewart, formerly
a watchmaker in Glasgow who now lives in
a private way upon his money, which he acquired
by his wife amounting to between 15 and 20 thousand
pounds. He was more fortunate than active.

James Stewart, [a] shoemaker [in
the] village of Drymen [in] Stirlingshire, has five sons under age. [He
is] a clever active man.

Andrew Stewart, late weaver and crofter
[in] Craigoughty near
the Kirkton of Aberfoil, who left:

Andrew, a weaver in
the same place [who is] unmarried.

James Stuart, [a] miller [in] Cubail-Larach,
[in] Drymen parish. [He] has five
sons. [He is] the stoutest and most able man in that country.

One of [his sons], James, [is] an innkeeper in Gartmore.

Charles
Stewart, late saddler in Buchlyvi, [was] a respectable man
and at one time in good circumstances who left two sons:

Charles, a clerk in a tan work (a
tannery) in Edinburgh

John, who carries on the business with Mrs Stewart, his
mother, and keeps a public house.

Both [Charles and John are] unmarried.

John, an innkeeper in Dunbarton, who has a family
of three sons and daughters.

Robert Stewart, late
tenant in Ardvorlich, left one son:

James, a bleacher
in a field near Denny Dunipace [in] Stirlingshire, who has four sons [who are]
under age.

Or what is called "the Port-an-ealan
Stewarts", [named after] a farm near Callendar on Loch Vennacherside, formerly the property of the family of Perth, now
that of the Earl of Moray, and [was] held in tack by Stewart of Annat when
belonging to the family of Perth.

("John Stewart", who is not
listed in the original text, but whose name is suggested, by onomastics, to
be the father of:)

Commonly called "Stuirtaich Chireu"
("The Dusky Brown Stewarts")
from their ruddy complexion. These, in general, are not
of the first rate, however they can take care of themselves.

There is no indication given
in the text as to how the Dusky Brown Stewarts are related to the Gartnafuaran
family. It must be presumed that their family tradition simply claims
so. The relationship between the following household must be loosely
understood to be cousins, but how distant cannot be determined. The only
exception are the two brothers indicated.

James Stewart, [a] tenant in Bracklin
[in] Callendar [on the] Earl of Moray's
property, [which is] the best farm in the farthest east of the parish.
[James] has seven sons.

It is unclear from the original
text as to whether the following six men should be understood to be six of the
seven sons of the preceding James, or if they are separate and independent
branches of this family. The description of the brothers James and
Alexander, below, and the repetition of the name James would favour the position
that these following entries represent separate households who are not descended
from the preceding James, but are contemporary with him.

John, [who] resides with himself.

James, [who is]
a minister who got a parish from the Earl of Moray in the
North (that of Alloa); the first Stewarts that ever had a
presentation from that family.

James, [a] schoolmaster of Aberfoil.
[He has two sons who are] at their education [and who are]
intended for the learned professions and [a third son who is] under age.

Alexander Stewart, his brother,
[who is a] tenant in
Bracklin. [He] has three sons under age.

Both [James and Alexander] are in
good circumstances.

Bracklin formerly was rented by twelve tenants.
At present it pays £150 and is
well worth £350. [The farm] will keep about 60 milk cows. One-half of this farm formerly belonged to the ancient
and respectable family of the Dows of Ardnahaw of
whom no person in that country knows anything
of. This farm is now in the policy of Stirling of Keir.

John Stewart, [a] tenant in the lots of Greenock in
the ancient Barony of Callendar, [which] formerly belonged
to the family of Perth [and] now [belongs] to a gentleman from Edinburgh of the name of Hunter.
[John] has four sons:

two
with himself

"

and two in the West Indies. The one of which
made a fortune there

"

This barony of Callendar
anciently belonged to the Livingston Earl of Callendar
before it fell into the hands of the family of [the Earl of] Perth.
The Livingstons were obliged to leave that country for
some injustice done to a man that was hanged in
that place. They left voluntarily when they heard
of the injustice of his treatment.

This finishes the "Stuirtich Chiren" and the
Gartnafuaran family commonly called "Sliochd
an tigh mhoil". Their property in Balquhidder
was the farms of Gartnafuaran, Cean na coille,
and Stronslan and Dailriach in Glenbuckie. Glen-du in Glenbuckie was their sheiling or
grazing place. Gartnafuaran and Stron-slan [along]
with Cean a choille and Dial riach were sold
to a McLeod from Skye, and [are] now the property
of John McGregor-Murray. Sir John McGregor-Murray
sold Glen Mor to Capt Stewart of Glenbuckie at the rate
of £4000, double the value. It is said that
the Stewarts of Gartnafuaran had Wester Invernenty before it became the property of the family
of Glenbuckie, and they were once laying claim
to the barony of Strathgartan on Loch Catherineside.

[The present laird of] Ardvorlich knows these particulars better
than any person in life.